1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a Monascus purpureus mutant, and more particularly to a mutant of Monascus purpureus NTU 568, a nucleotide sequence for Monascus purpureus NTU 568 and primers for nucleotide sequence of Monascus purpureus NTU 568.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Recently, red yeast fermented products with multi functions are subject to more and more attention due to the flourishing development of health foods. In Asia, Monascus purpureus are applied in foods and medicines for thousands years, wherein the secondary metabolites of Monascus purpureus can be divided into four kinds of:    (1) Pigment group: including the red pigment of rubropunctamine and monascorubramine, the yellow pigment of ankaflavin and monascin, and orange pigment of rubropunctanin and monascorubrin;    (2) Cholesterol-lowering substances: such as monacolin K;    (3) Hypotensive agent substances: such as γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA); and    (4) Antioxidant substances: including dimerumic acid and 3-hydoxy-4-methoxy-benzoic acid
Monascus purpureus NTU 568 is an excellent local Monascus purpureus strain, and which is studied and developed by Tzu-Ming PAN, the graduate chair of Institute of Microbiology and Biochemistry of National Taiwan University, and the R&D team thereof. Besides, currently, the health-care characteristics of preventing Alzheimer's disease, hypolipidemic effect and antioxidative of the red mold (RM) powder manufactured by using the Monascus purpureus NTU 568 have been proven, wherein the health-care characteristics of preventing Alzheimer's disease, hypolipidemic effect and antioxidative of the RM powder is carried out by the secondary metabolites of monacolins, ankaflavin and monacsin.
Nowadays, the Monascus purpureus NTU 568 is successful to be commercialized. However, in spite of that, the strain (mutant) identification and the DNA molecular marker of the Monascus purpureus NTU 568 does still not be carried out, wherein the DNA molecular marker technology is usually used for identifying the DNA sequence or the RAPD genetic variation map.
Accordingly, in view of the specific DNA sequence, the specific RAPD genetic variation map, and the DNA molecular marker of the Monascus purpureus NTU 568 still does not be finished, the inventor of the present application has made great efforts to make inventive research thereon and eventually provided a mutant of Monascus purpureus NTU 568, a nucleotide sequence for Monascus purpureus NTU 568 and primers for nucleotide sequence of Monascus purpureus NTU 568.